1. Field
The present embodiments relate to power-management circuits.
2. Related Art
Data centers typically contain a large number of devices, such as data-storage devices and servers, which routinely change power state. For example, a given device may be selectively powered-up or powered-down (i.e., power, such as a supply voltage, may be applied to or disconnected from the given device) and/or selectively turned-on or turned-off (i.e., activated or deactivated). These changes in power state typically take place, for example, when: devices are changed, the data center is reconfigured, and/or for purposes of power management in the data center.
In a typical data center, power-management circuits are used to control the power applied to a given device, as well as to turn the given device on or off. Ensuring that the given device does not spuriously turn-on when the associated power-management circuit is powered-up can be difficult.
Many existing power-management circuits include a slow turn-on circuit to limit the current that flows through the power-management circuit to the given device when the given device is turned-on. These power-management circuits can cause spurious turn-on of the given device when the power-management circuits are powered-up. This is because a slow turn-on circuit often has a slow turn-off due to the RC characteristics of this circuit. Consequently, when the supply voltage is applied to the power-management circuit, the slow turn-on circuit may not stay in an ‘off’ state and a transient signal may be inadvertently applied to the given device. This inadvertent transient signal can cause out-of-order power sequencing, as well as to a hardware latch or failure.